SPICE UP YOUR LIFE WITH CINNAMON

Isn’t it fantastic when you find out that one of the foods you appreciate is extra-beneficial to your health?

Serendipity!

Many of us already incorporate cinnamon into our diets, whether it be through a spiced latte or as a seasoning. Let’s dig into the ins and outs of cinnamon.

WHERE SHOULD I PURCHASE CINNAMON?

Market

When purchasing cinnamon- what do you choose quills or ground cinnamon? Look to purchase fresh quills and only use ground varieties if you are going to use it immediately. Cinnamon stales very quickly and doesn’t retain many of the therapeutic properties very long so buy the quills and grind it fresh when needed with a food grater or coffee or spice grinder.

Home

When you get your quills home, store them in an airtight container in a cool + dark place. Fresh cinnamon quickly stales so buy small quantities and grind your own.

There are so many quick + easy ways to incorporate more cinnamon into your life.

Try sprinkling it over your hot chocolate, coffee, yogurt or even fresh fruit. Or you can blend it into desserts, curries, sauces or marinades. Cinnamon also works well sprinkled over some roasted vegetables.

WHICH ONES SHOULD I BUY?

Cinnamon Superstars

Now you just need to know what type of cinnamon is best for YOU! That’s right, there’s more than one type of cinnamon!

Ceylon cinnamon is the REAL cinnamon, straight from the tree and the most beneficial healthwise.

Cassia cinnamon, the ‘other’ type of cinnamon, is a little cheaper and contains a high coumarin content, which in some cases can actually be detrimental to your health. [1]

Grade A cinnamon has a little bit sweeter flavor and can be used when you’re looking for a nice round cinnamon flavor.

Why Should I use it?

Cinnamon is as the ultimate blood sugar stabilizer. So much so that it is currently being tried as a potential anti-diabetic treatments. [2] How on earth does this happen? Cinnamon promotes the creation of insulin, which helps keep sugar out of the blood stream and into the body’s cells to be used as energy. [3]

Cinnamon also has some anti-inflammatory and anti-oxidant properties that make it an ideal treatment for systemic inflammation [especially when paired with other inflammation superstars like turmeric]. [4 + 5] Cinnamon increases the production of anti-inflammatory proteins and targets free-radicals that are associated with inflammation. [6]

COOKING

Table

Below are a few recipes I’ve loved from a round thee web that incorporate cinnamon beautifully. Indulge!

And because you are my faithful reader, I have a gift for you… I love cinnamon so much that I couldn’t help but build a beautiful infographic to illustrate all that it has to offer you and give you a recipe to boot. ClickHEREto download print and savor.